Beautician by day, beautiful psychic by night, Chang Ming-i enjoys channeling the Third Prince to help others

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- A beautiful young beautician who works in a nail salon during the week, has become famous in New Taipei for channeling a child god to do good deeds for those in need on the weekends, reported Apple Daily.

Chang Ming-i (張名儀), 21, who works at a nail salon in Taoyuan on weekdays, acts as a tongji (童乩, medium) for the Taoist deity the Lotus Prince (蓮花太子) at the Sanchong Xiesheng Temple (三重協聖宮) in New Taipei City's Sanchong District.

Better known as Third Prince (三太子, Santaizi), but is also referred to as Nezha (哪吒) or the Marshal of the Central Altar (中壇元帥), he gained his name as the third son of General Li Jing (李靖). He is a rebellious child often seen riding on Wind and Fire Wheels (風火輪) and carrying a Fire-tipped Spear (火尖槍).

Because the Third Prince is a child, mediums behave like a child when they are possessed by the deity and can be seen doing things such as drinking milk, sucking on a pacifier, licking lollypops, and otherwise acting mischievous.

Chang first became aware of her powers after she visited a temple with her mother when at the age of 17 and while meditating, she noticed her body started to move involuntarily. She did not think much about it until later, while working during summer vacation, she started experiencing episodes in which she feeling pain in her chest, her pupils would become dilated, she would suddenly run into the street, or suddenly lean backwards while riding on the back of a scooter.

Her mother took her to a temple where they said she was possessed by three different spirits, but they were not able to exorcise them from her body. Her mother then took her to many other temples all over the area, but to no avail.

Chang Ming-i (Image from 三重協聖宮-蓮花太子 Facebook page)

It was not until they found the Sanchong Xiesheng Temple where under the guidance of head priest Liu Hsiao-i (劉孝義) they were finally able to guide the male spirits out of her body. From then on, she went to the temple every week to read the scriptures, meditate, and regulate her Qi.

After three months of training, Chang said that the deity Guan Gong (關公, General Kwan) called upon her to become the tongji for the Lotus Prince.

Chang Ming-i (Image from 三重協聖宮-蓮花太子 Facebook page)

"At first I was not interested, but over time I began to feel that temple ceremonies were really interesting!" said Chang. In the beginning, she said that her friends did not believe that she was a temple medium, and said things like "you think you're in a movie?"

Others said she was overly superstitious, but she cherished this opportunity, and found that in the temple she found peace, stability and direction in life.

(Image from 三重協聖宮-蓮花太子 Facebook page)

Chang said that if she had not sought help from the temple, the spirits might have taken her life. "I could have ended up in a mental hospital or died," said Chang.

"I came in this way, and over the three years since, I've always embraced a desire to want to help others," said Chang.

(Image from 三重協聖宮-蓮花太子 Facebook page)

Though Chang continues her job as a beautician, she has to keep her duties as the tongji for the Third Prince into account. She says that the Third Prince spoke to her and said that she could dress like a female, wear makeup and paint her nails, but one condition was that they must not be too long.